The Forest Academy

Primary school in Barnsley. Outstanding (Feb 2023).

Latest graded inspection

Inspected 2 February 2023, report published 20 March 2023, under the inspection system used from 2019 to 2025.

Outstanding overall. The top grade under the previous system. 12% of schools whose latest graded inspection was under this system got Outstanding.

Grades for each area
Area	Grade
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years	Outstanding
Safeguarding effective	Yes

These grades come from the system Ofsted replaced in November 2025. They stay on record until the school’s next inspection, when it gets a report card instead. More about the old grades.

Next inspection: around February 2027

The last inspection was in February 2023. Schools are usually inspected about every four years. That’s within the next six months.

An estimate, not an Ofsted date. Ofsted doesn’t publish its schedule and gives schools about a day’s notice. The law says the next inspection must be by August 2028 at the latest, and Ofsted can visit sooner if it has concerns.

Nearby primary schools

0.4 milesBank End Primary Academy
Primary, Barnsley
Report card, Jan 2026: 7 strong
0.5 milesHunningley Primary Academy
Primary, Barnsley
Outstanding (Mar 2023)
0.7 milesThe Mill Academy
Primary, Barnsley
School remains Good (Oct 2022)
0.7 milesOakwell Rise Primary Academy
Primary, Barnsley
Report card, Mar 2026: 5 strong, 2 expected
0.8 milesWorsbrough Common Primary School
Primary, Barnsley
Good (Apr 2024)

Ofsted data as at 30 September 2026, school details from Get Information about Schools, 26 October 2026.